it's just like love
by timbrenoir
Summary: QW14, Day 1: Quinntana begins. How Quinn and Santana meet, and more. AU.


Day 1 - Quinntana Begins

_Shit, shit, shit. _I was late. I was _so _late. When my boss told me that I'd be representing our marketing team on the annual convention cruise due to another employee falling ill, I was ecstatic - my headache the next morning from celebrating a testimony to that fact. The fact that I was leaving the next day was a minor detail. A loud, early morning phone call, two advils and a quick shower later I was out the door and catching a cab.

"Seriously, can you not go any faster?" I said exasperatedly to the cab driver, who seemed very keen on following the speed limit. _Seriously, what kind of cab driver was this guy? _He glanced back at me and I rose an eyebrow expectantly, "What? You expecting a tip? Pretty sure these beauties are enough for you to speed up" I told him, in reference to my very obvious cleavage. If I didn't make it to the port in twenty minutes, the ship would most likely be gone. Boarding had started over an hour ago. The boob reference seemed to have done the trick, considering we were actually going faster than cyclists now.

I threw a twenty dollar bill to the front of the cab when he parked - the ship still there, thankfully, and quickly pulled my suitcase from beside me as I exited the vehicle. "Thanks for the ride, gramps" I told said as I shut the door. _It wasn't like he deserved a tip. _

The whole boarding journey was a hassle. After being told where to go three times but still managing to get to the wrong entry point, I finally managed to find where I needed to go before I was ushered onto the ship quickly. It seemed like the big crowds had already made it onto the boat, considering the large room that looked like a lobby seemed practically empty.

_Argh_! I suddenly felt myself collide with something rather sharp from the side. A loud noise came right after, and I immediately spotted a young, blonde woman on the ground.

Normally, I would have gone all Lima heights on her ass for not watching where she was going. Normally, I would been annoyed at how this day was going so far. But for some reason I was transfixed on her face - my eyes examining her hazel ones. She was beautiful.

"Are you going to help me up, or keep gawking at me creepily?" I heard her say. It wasn't hard to admit that her charming voice matched her face.

I extended my hand to her, pulling her up slowly. I realized I still haven't spoken a word to her. "I'm Quinn" She said, and brushed her hair aside. "Sorry about that, I got a little distracted by the grandeur of this place" I hadn't even noticed the beauty of the lobby before then. It was probably the most expensive-looking place I had ever had the chance to stay in. The fact that she didn't even seem bothered that she had fallen to the ground because of me confused me.

"Santana" I finally said, and wanted to slap myself for being so off my game. "It is pretty great, isn't it? Not everyday you get to step onto a ship this big"

"It's a pretty great Thursday indeed" She replied with a grin, "So, _Santana_, what do you think of mini golf?"

And that Thursday, filled with a beautiful girl and some cruise ship mini golfing, was the first day of the rest of my life.

* * *

On Friday, we got to know each other.

_"How about you guess?" Quinn said with a smile after I asked her what her job was, and I couldn't help but notice that she was enjoying being mysterious a bit too much._

_"Stripper? Maybe an escort, considering you're making enough money to be on this cruise" I replied with my usual snark, despite knowing that the blonde was much too classy for an occupation of that sort. _

_"Funny" Quinn replied with a roll of her eyes; something that I found to be adorable yet still conveyed faux annoyance. _

_Wait, did I just say adorable? I need Puck to come slap some sense into me. _

_"I've just recently graduated. This was my grandmother's graduation gift" She told me, with a quiet, but content, sigh. "She told me that since I wasn't getting married, she couldn't pay for that, so this was the second best thing" I chuckled at the fact that her grandmother put marriage and cruise on practically equal scales. "Yale, English Lit" She added before I could even ask, and I smiled._

_"Impressive. You seem like the lit type. Artsy and...artsy" Way to go Santana. Great choice of words. She will definitely praise your vocabulary now. I heard her laugh, and her pale cheeks tinted pink when she caught me staring at her. _

_"My father was furious. He would have rather I follow his footsteps with the family business" She shrugged as she rearranged her sunglasses and hair, and I took the opportunity to indulge in the sight of her hazel eyes. "But I saw the beauty in words, and decided to dive in. Carpe diem, am I right?" She flashed a wide smile, and everything she did seemed effortless. My usual confidence was out the window. _

_"Santana?" I heard, bringing me out of my dazed state._

_"Hm?" I asked, turning my head slowly, hoping that it wasn't too obvious that I was lost in thoughts about the blonde before me._

_"I asked what it is that you do?" She said, and if she had asked me multiple times she didn't show off any irritation. _

_I was suddenly embarrassed. "Um, I'm in marketing" I said, "I work as an associate with my firm" I added, hoping it would make me seem a bit more important. "I mean, it's not something I'm super passionate about, but it pays the bills and its not boring" I shrugged. Marketing had always been my safety net - I hadn't 'dove in' like Quinn had mentioned._

_"But what's the point of paying the bills if your life isn't worth the bills you're paying for?" She asked me, her eyebrow quirked up as I felt her eyes see right through me - as if I was a book she had read and analyzed years ago. _

_Who was this girl? Puck's definitely going to be receiving a phone call tonight._

* * *

Saturday, we had fun together.

_Turns out these ships have a lot going on - including bars that turned into semi dance clubs at night. I knew spending the night with alcohol and Quinn in a short dress probably wasn't the greatest idea for someone who was on a business trip, but when she asked I couldn't say no._

_Tipsy Quinn was a touchy Quinn. I mean, touchier than she normally was. Every move I made, her hand was in mine, or around my waist. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying it. _

_We danced for most of the night. Quinn's back against my front, and then both of us facing each other - our lips centimeters apart. The closeness we shared was filled with silent sexual tension. I could feel her hips connecting with mine to the beat of the music at every song that came on._

_More than one guy asked us to dance with them. I tried to convince myself that Quinn's possessive 'no' and how she grinded against me a second later was only to scare them off. _

_Now all I could think about was how I wanted possessive Quinn to be my Quinn._

* * *

Sunday, we shared secrets.

_"I got a boob job when I was a sophomore in high school" I told her as we lay on the lounge chairs by the pool. The words obviously took her by surprise. I smirked proudly when she blushed as I caught her looking at my chest. I couldn't blame her, really. Catching Quinn off guard when she lost her cool was definitely my favourite thing. _

_She didn't have to say anything. I knew she didn't care._

_"So, what's hidden in your closet?" I asked, turning my head to look at her. I honestly couldn't understand why I cared about knowing her so much._

_"I don't have any skeletons" She said, with a shrug. For some reason I knew she was lying to me._

_We really spent most of our time together. After my meetings in the afternoon, we met up for a swim at the pool. _

_"A daughter" I heard her say later that afternoon, as she swam to the edge of the pool to where I was sitting, and I looked up. _

_"What?" I asked, my eyebrows scrunched up in confusion at her sudden words. We had both been swimming and lounging around the pool area that afternoon after my afternoon meetings, most of our time being spent in comfortable silence. _

_"That's my skeleton" She said, and before I could speak her hand was on my knee. "My first ever boyfriend. He claimed that condoms weren't necessary. Turns out they are, or you end up pregnant and kicked out of your house" She wasn't looking at me. Her eyes were on her hands, as if she were trying to memorize them._

_I certainly wasn't expecting that. _

_"Your parents kicked you out?" For some reason that was the part that struck me. I couldn't even fantom intentionally hurting this girl, so the fact that her own parents would do that seemed surreal to me. _

_"Mm. Moved in with my grama and stayed with her until college. She helped me go through the pregnancy, and the adoption process" Quinn told me, a bright sparkle filled her eyes. "I still get to visit her, and see her, she's beautiful" I didn't doubt that fact at all._

_We spent the rest of the evening talking about her daughter. Yep, Quinn's eyes when she spoke of Beth was my new favourite thing. _

* * *

Monday, I fell for her a little.

_"It's just like love, isn't it?" _

_We were looking out at the sea from the front of the ship, both of us leaning onto the rail as the warm breeze hit our faces. _

_"What is?"_

_"Water" She said. "You have oceans and seas, they're so vast, deep, mysterious. You can dive in head first and think you know what you're getting into, but you really just reach the surface. There's a whole other world deeper, with new things to discover and fall in love with. And then you have rivers, and they're so free, and fresh. Even when things get cold, it rarely ices over. It keeps going and provides life to so many things" She said, her arms on the railing as we both looked out at the never ending sea before us. "Some people kind of forget it exists, until they really need it, and others can't get enough of it. It's beautiful, yet so exploited" When she turned to look at me, I swear the entire universe was shouting at me to kiss her. _

* * *

Tuesday, I finally managed to get my backbone back.

_"Like what you see, Fabray?" I teased as I lathered my arms with tanning oil. Being around Quinn had made me completely lose my cool, but I was starting to feel more comfortable._

_"No" She said in a weak joking manner, and it was her turn to be the blabbering idiot that I had been for the past few days._

_"Mmhuh" I replied, biting my lip as I got an idea. "Oil me? Can't reach my back" I told her, handing her the bottle before she could say no. I lifted my hair up slowly and parted it over my shoulder._

_After a few seconds, I felt a soft hand on my back. Her hand moved in a circular fashion as she rubbed the oil into my skin, and I swore she was taking just a little too long on purpose._

_"All-all done" I heard her say, and I was proud that I finally managed to affect her in a way that I was used to. Girls would bow down to my feet at home. _

_"Thanks, Q" I replied and turned around, applying some of the leftover oil onto my chest with a smirk. "Help me again?" I asked jokingly, a wide grin on my face. I was faced with an eye roll and my name sighed in a way that reminded me of my annoyed mother. Somehow Quinn managed to make it cute. _

* * *

Wednesday, I gave her part of me.

_"Santana?" I heard through the bathroom door as I lathered my hair with shampoo. Quinn and I had decided to go to the theatre that night, and getting ready in Quinn's room had just become a habit for the both f us. I was tired of my business wardrobe, and she let me borrow anything of hers. "Mind if I come in? My make up is under the sink" She said._

_I nodded before I realized she couldn't see me. "Sure" I shouted out. Quinn had decided not to shower, but had insisted that I use hers instead of going back to my room. I heard the door click open and a few footsteps before I was met with only the sound of the water hitting the shower floor once more. _

_The thought that Quinn was only a few feet away from me while I was completely naked made me feel chills all over my body. The tension between the two of us had grown since that night in the club, and even more so after my constant teasing the previous day. _

_I felt a hand on my shoulder before I even heard the shower curtain being pulled aside. _

_Quinn's now dark eyes was the only encouragement I needed to crash my lips onto hers. I felt my back hit the cold shower wall, and the pain went away as soon as her hands grazed my breasts. My hand curled at her neck as our tongues battled for dominance. I had never realized how enchanting moans could be until I heard Quinn whimper my name against my lips. _

_We didn't end up going to the theatre that night._

* * *

Thursday, we ignored everything else.

_"I really don't know why I hang out with you" I said in mock seriousness as I watched Quinn walk from the balcony to the spot next to me on the bed in her robe. "You're kind of hard on eyes, and you're just not that smart" I teased._

_Another favourite thing of mine about Quinn was that she always took my teasing well. Either she retorted with a witty remark or rolled her eyes and cuddled into me. The latter happened this time. _

_Today was my only day without meetings, and we hadn't left my room since we woke up. _

_"I take it you agree?" I teased, she was rarely ever this silent - and I was taking advantage of it. "I'm definitely the prettier and smarter one here"_

_"So what's the capital of Qatar?" She mumbled against my neck, and I could feel a smile forming against my skin as my silence grew longer. "Who wrote Anna Karenina?" _

_My response was to slide my hands down her body, tickling her sides. She squealed and I laughed, continuing to tickle her as her body squirmed in all directions. "Well, I'm sorry that I don't binge read wikipedia articles" I teased as I captured her lips in a kiss, and I felt her body relax against mine slowly._

_"You should be sorry that you're this annoying" She said with a smile as I pulled away, and I laughed before kissing her again. _

* * *

Friday, we said goodbye.

_"Stay in Miami with me" I had told her that morning._

_The ship was due to arrive in a few hours, and it had only hit me that we'd be back to the real world then. _

_Quinn was flying back to Ohio, to be with her family. _

_"I can't" Her reply hit me like a thousand bricks. I knew she couldn't. I knew that. But hearing her say it out loud for the first time hurt. "You know I'm heading home. My parents - they want to meet Beth" _

_I couldn't understand why she wanted to go back to people who left her, when they were supposed to love her unconditionally. It didn't make sense. _

_I couldn't understand why she was leaving me, when I felt like I could love her unconditionally._

* * *

Today, I fell for her a lot.

_Quinn and I's goodbye hadn't been very successful. I had planned to return to my apartment that evening and spent the night binge watching Netflix, all the while ignoring anyone who tried to contact me, but I was met with a loud knock on the door. Pretending not to be home didn't stop whoever was knocking, so I reluctantly got up from bed and walked towards the door._

_When I opened it, I was faced with a tear stained Quinn, luggage in hand._

_"You know what they don't say about home?" Quinn asked me, and I was still stunned at seeing her that I couldn't even think of a reply. "It's completely overrated" _

"Santana!" I heard, and I groaned loudly as I turned my head further into the pillow. It felt like it was way too early to be awake. I felt a cold hand on my bare back and my face scrunched up in discomfort. "San! Wake up! There's a fire!" My eyes shot open and my body sprung out of bed, my eyes now focusing on Quinn as my first instinct was to grab her and run. I couldn't understand why she was just standing there, and then I saw her crack and a smile and start to laugh.

"You should have seen your face" Quinn said through laughter, and in that moment I wanted to kill her. Well, not really. But maybe deprive her of sex for a few weeks. _Okay, maybe just a few days. _

"That isn't funny, Lucy Q" I said, my voice still laced with the grogginess I felt but my heart was pumping at full speed. I felt her arms wrap around my waist, and I gave into the warmth when she held me close.

"Sorry, babe" She said and pecked my cheek lightly. I turned my head to face her, feeling slightly cheated from a kiss. "You just weren't waking up, and I have to head out for my meeting" Quinn said, and finally gave me the soft kiss I was waiting for.

_Oh, right. Quinn was meeting with a publisher today. Her poetry might be getting published. I had planned on waking up early and making her breakfast. Way to go, Santana._

My eyes scanned her outfit for the occasion, and my smirk told her that I approved. I could feel her roll her eyes at me. "So, no time for morning fun times?" I asked, hopefully, even though I knew that she was short on time. My initial thoughts on withholding sex were long forgotten by now.

"Well, _I_ had time" She said with a smirk to match mine, kissing me again quickly.

"Quinn" I whined, and my hands roamed down her back to gently grab her ass.

"Santanaaaa" She imitated me, and I rolled my eyes at her attempt to irritate me before I kissed her deeply. I managed to get away with distracting her through the smart use of my talented tongue, but was soon swatted away playfully. "Okay, I have to go, I'm going to be late! Stop being sexy" Quinn said with a laugh, and I joined in before I slapped her ass goodbye. It was kind of a tradition between us.

That night we celebrated with champagne, great food and lots of sex. She had managed to snag a book deal. Everything was falling into place.

"It's just like love, isn't it?" I heard her say beside me, our fingers intertwined together as we lay sprawled out on the bed.

"What is?" I asked; my mind racing to that Monday on the ship. She had only grown more beautiful since that evening.

"_This_"


End file.
